Former Vice President Joins Fight Against Marriage Ban

One of Minnesota's most well known politicians, former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale, is organizing a campaign to defeat the ban on same-sex marriage put on his state's ballot.

Mondale joined Kathleen Blatz, the retired chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, in "defending the ideals of our profession" as lawyers. Mondale is a former state attorney general, and he got his law degree in the Minnesota public university system after being born and raised in the state. He went on to serve as vice president to Jimmy Carter, and ran as the Democratic Party's nominee against President Ronald Reagan.

The legal duo said they are mobilizing law firms, in-house legal departments, and academic institutions as part of what they've labeled "Lawyers United for All Families." It's a partnership with Minnesotans United for All Families, which is the primary organizer in fighting the proposed amendment to the state's constitution.

"Our constitution is a hard-earned gift from those who preceded us and an enduring promise to those who will follow us," wrote Mondale and Blatz in an announcement of the initiative. "It should be used to protect individual liberty, not to take it away. Constitutions should be amended only to address problems that find no other solution. Therefore, as concerned citizens and members of the legal community, we need to stand up against the efforts to legislate by constitutional amendment."